Have you ever heard anyone talk about buying a boat and how excited and joyful they were on the day they bought it? They say that the only day you feel the same excitement is when you sell the boat!
I can relate to this feeling because I recently sold my little coffeehouse, Lovebeans, to some lovely folks who truly understand the restaurant business and will do a great job with it.
In early 2019, the office space next to my real estate office became available, and I watched as potential tenants came to look at the space. Would it become a hair salon, a pizza kitchen, or hundreds of other businesses, I would ask myself? How would it be “living” next door to such an establishment?
So, as happens in creative minds, such as mine, I came up with a “remarkable” solution: I would open a community coffeehouse and donate any profits to various local charities. This decision came after a lifetime of saying that owning any type of food service business would be utterly insane! Still, the thought of walking into my office and smelling fresh-brewed coffee and lush pastries took over, and in the fall of 2019, we opened Lovebeans.
Being a complete novice at coffee preparation or running a restaurant, I leaned on every friend I had in the restaurant business and hired some knowledgeable folks to help. We “crawled” through the first few months, finalizing staff, menus, and all the workings of the shop. Then, just as we were getting to a point where we could breathe, Covid hit in the beginning of 2020, which hit our struggling little business like a “sucker punch.” However, just like the little engine that could, we somehow made it through the crisis with curb service, masks, and hand sanitizer, like everyone else who survived.
Fast forward to the fall of 2023 when our manager gave notice of leaving for something closer to home. She had done a good job of running the shop, and we knew it would be hard to replace her, so we temporarily took over her tasks. My family, close friends, and I did our best to pick up the baton and move forward through typical ups and downs, with staffing being the hardest to manage. At one point, early on, most of our staff left without notice.
The mass exit of the staff, plus burn scars on my arms from baking and “dishpan hands” from washing dishes, led me to put the word out that we would sell. Amazingly, we had several folks who were interested in taking it over, but we finally settled on a lovely family that has now taken over and will be bringing new and exciting changes.
Now, as I look back over the past four years, I have great memories of all the fantastic staff and especially the great customers we have had. While I’m not excited about letting it go, I do feel that it will continue to be a great place for neighbors to gather and enjoy the best coffee in Houston. I want to congratulate Elisa, the new owner, and wish her continued success in her new venture.
By: Beth Ferester
